I'm most likely getting an MBP, and while I do like the Retina display, a built-in optical drive is important to me, so I'm planning on the classic MBP model rather than the Retina. I want one of the customized configurations of the cMBP. I understand that the next set of MBPs (released in July) will likely all be Retina, so do you all expect that they will be without the optical drive like last year's Retina models? I'm thinking that this will be the case, and if so, then I will regret waiting to find out. I also don't know how long I will have after the reveal of the new models before the 2012 classic models will no longer be for sale outside of the Refurbished Mac section of the Apple Store (does anyone have any idea?), where my custom configuration would be very hard to come by and may require waiting a long time.

Is now the time to buy the classic MBP if I want an MBP with an optical drive, or should I wait and see whether any of the summer models have them?

If 2013 MBP models all have Retina Displays, they will not have an ODD anymore.
But you can still purchase 2012 cMBPs via the Refurbished Mac section in the Apple Online Store once 2013 MBPs are released, if those 2013 models are not to your liking.

If 2013 MBP models all have Retina Displays, they will not have an ODD anymore.
But you can still purchase 2012 cMBPs via the Refurbished Mac section in the Apple Online Store once 2013 MBPs are released, if those 2013 models are not to your liking.

I understand that, but I've also read that my custom configuration will be hard to come by on there (it may be quite awhile before it shows up). Plus, I'd rather buy now and not wait months for the reveal of the July models, but if there's much of a chance that any of them will have optical drives, then maybe I'll wait.

Since I want an MBP with an optical drive, do you all suggest that I wait and see whether any of the summer models have them, or should I go ahead and buy a classic MBP now?

We do not know, if Apple continues to offer the cMBP, it probably still sells quite good, but today's announcement of reduced prices for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display might indicate, that they sell quite good and do not need to be that expensive anymore due to better factory settings.

It is really up to you.

And if you live near an Apple Store, you might still be lucky enough to get a cMBP on the day of a 2013 release in case the 2013 MBPs shed the ODD.

I'm most likely getting an MBP, and while I do like the Retina display, a built-in optical drive is important to me, so I'm planning on the classic MBP model rather than the Retina. I want one of the customized configurations of the cMBP. I understand that the next set of MBPs (released in July) will likely all be Retina, so do you all expect that they will be without the optical drive like last year's Retina models?!

"All Retina" is unlikely. Retina requires a much bigger battery, taking more space. Less space for anything else means no hard drive. No hard drive means no storage over 256 GB for money that most people are willing to pay. The cheapest MBP is £999. The cheapest Retina MBP is £1449. The £999 MBP can be upgraded to 16GB, 1TB very cheaply. Switching to "all Retina" would lose Apple an awful lot of customers.

"All Retina" is unlikely. Retina requires a much bigger battery, taking more space. Less space for anything else means no hard drive. No hard drive means no storage over 256 GB for money that most people are willing to pay. The cheapest MBP is £999. The cheapest Retina MBP is £1449. The £999 MBP can be upgraded to 16GB, 1TB very cheaply. Switching to "all Retina" would lose Apple an awful lot of customers.